S.M.S.B. Code
, creator of the Code.]] The S.M.S.B. Code was a code of conduct intended to help establish, regulate and maintain the general behavior of all members of the S.M.S.B.. Despite undergoing, at some point during S.M.S.B. history, a subtle but substantial alteration of at least its written tenets, the code's fundamental context and meaning, invoking as it did self-discipline, tolerance, compassion, harmony and peaceful exploration, remained unchanged. Mantra The Code consisted of the following: :Help damsels in distress. :(Never unleash your full power against weaker opponents.) :Protect the weak. :Use your sword only in self-defense or defense of others — never to enrich yourself. :An S.M.S.B. member can never lose his honor in a fair fight. :—The S.M.S.B. Code The fourth line "Never unleash your full power against weaker opponents," is removed in some texts, thanks to Lindsay Kellerman. Grandmaster Matthew modified this code slightly upon establishing the Second S.M.S.B. in the world: :Help damsels in distress. :Never unleash your full power against inferior opponents. :Protect the weak. :Respect all life, in any form. :Use your sword only in self-defense or defense of others — never to enrich yourself. :Always remember that your opponent may not be keeping to his own code. :An S.M.S.B. member can never lose his honor in a fair fight. Following the code Self-discipline Self-discipline was one of the key concepts of S.M.S.B. behavior, and S.M.S.B. members were taught this from the time they registered. The lessons started off similar to what might be taught to an ordinary student; however, as the student progressed, so did the complexity of the lessons.D.I.T. Website Conquer Aggression A sizable number of S.M.S.B. members, in training, confused the meanings of attack, defense and aggression. Thus members were taught that it was possible for an S.M.S.B. member to strike without aggression, so long as they acted without recklessness, hatred or anger. An S.M.S.B. member was permitted to kill in self-defense — only if there was no other option. However, Master Intelligence taught his students that killing, no matter what the circumstances, was not to become commonplace. To conquer aggression, even in combat, an S.M.S.B. member must have explored every other option, including surrender, before resorting to using lethal force. S.M.S.B. members who depended on murder were close to the Darkness. Conquer External Loyalties Each S.M.S.B. member was expected to remove as many external distractions from his or her life as possible. S.M.S.B. members were not allowed to marry without special dispensation, like in the case of Squeazy, who was allowed to marry several women because of his people's low birth rate. S.M.S.B. members were forbidden from taking a political appointment or to accept gifts. They were taught that their loyalty was to be to the S.M.S.B., and to nothing else. Conquer Materialism S.M.S.B. members were forbidden from keeping more than a few essential belongings. There were three reasons for this; first because they distracted a S.M.S.B. member from mutantry, second, because, as they emerged through the ranks, S.M.S.B. members were required to leave for missions with extremely short notice, and so having many objects was a burden, and third, the MBH already had the majority of what they needed. It was rare for a S.M.S.B. member to possess more than they could carry on their person at one time. Responsibility Once an S.M.S.B. member had mastered self-discipline, they could begin to accept responsibility for their actions. S.M.S.B. members who shunned responsibility were never trained, and S.M.S.B. members who embraced it were never denied training. Practice Honesty Honesty was the first responsibility that aspiring S.M.S.B. members were taught. S.M.S.B. members were permitted to stretch the truth if the situation required it of them, however this was to be done as sparingly as possible. An honest S.M.S.B. member was always truthful with himself, his friends, and his Master. Honor Your Promises S.M.S.B. members were taught that if they made a promise, they should have always been prepared to keep it, or else to have made amends. Thus, an S.M.S.B. member should never have make a promise he or she was not certain they could keep. S.M.S.B. members were encouraged to consult their Master before making a promise. Honor your Master Although Master Intelligence was the ultimate authority of the S.M.S.B., it was not possible for him to be everywhere at once. Therefore, when he sent an S.M.S.B. member on a mission, the S.M.S.B. member spoke for and was a representative of the organization. Master Intelligence was forced to answer for the S.M.S.B.'s words and answers, and so the S.M.S.B. member would have been careful not to put their Master in a difficult position, as to do so would be to show terrible disrespect for authority. Honor The S.M.S.B. Every action an S.M.S.B. member made reflected on the Order. Good deeds boosted the Order's reputation, but poor behavior sometimes caused incurable damage. S.M.S.B. members were taught to remember that each person they met might not have set eyes upon an S.M.S.B. member before, and that the acts of the particular S.M.S.B. member that person would influence their perception of the S.M.S.B. as a whole. Honor the Law One of the most important roles of the S.M.S.B. was to protect the peace and justice of the government and enforce the law, and so no S.M.S.B. member was above the law. S.M.S.B. members were expected to follow the law the same as they expected others to. S.M.S.B. members were permitted to break laws, but only when it was required, and only if they were willing to suffer the consequences… Honor Life S.M.S.B. members were expected never to commit murder, for any reason. However, if confronted with a life-or-death struggle, an S.M.S.B. member was permitted to kill to complete their mission. This act was not encouraged, as ending life strengthened the dark side; however, if the act was justified — if it saved others' lives, or if the S.M.S.B. member was acting on the will of God — then the light side was equally strengthened. S.M.S.B. members were also expected to think of those they had killed, and to think of the suffering caused by their deaths. An S.M.S.B. member who did not care about his victims was on the path to the dark side. Public service Although the S.M.S.B. existed to serve mutantry, they were funded by the government because they served the public interest. If S.M.S.B. members were unable to use their powers, they would continue to serve, because that was their duty. The fact that mutantry was real, and that the S.M.S.B. were its most prolific and devoted practitioners, only strengthened their resolve to use it for good. Duty To The Government Although the S.M.S.B. and the government were dissimilar, and the S.M.S.B. had no authority over the government, the S.M.S.B. served the government, and were expected to uphold its laws and ideals, and to protect its citizens. However, members of the Order held no rank in government hierarchy, and only served when asked; at all other times they stepped aside. This strange agreement between the two parties had stood since 2019. Render Aid S.M.S.B. members were obliged to help those in need of aid whenever possible, and were expected to be able to prioritize quickly. S.M.S.B. members were taught that while saving one life was important, saving many lives was even more so. This principle did not mean a S.M.S.B. member had to abandon other goals in every circumstance, but merely that an S.M.S.B. member must do his or her best to make sure that they aided those who were most in need of assistance. Defend The Weak Similarly, a member of the S.M.S.B. was expected to defend the weak from those who oppressed them, ranging from small-scale suffering at the hands of an individual to large-scale enslavement of entire species. However, S.M.S.B. members were taught to remember that all may not have been as it seemed, and that they should respect other cultures, even if they clashed with an S.M.S.B. member's moral or ethical code. S.M.S.B. members were also warned not to act in areas out of their jurisdiction, and to always consider the consequences of their actions. Provide Support At times, it was necessary for an S.M.S.B. member to stand aside and let other people defend the weak, even if the member felt that they could do a superior job. S.M.S.B. members were taught that they should assist by word or action as required by the situation, offering advice when requested to, warning when necessary, and arguing only when reason failed. S.M.S.B. should remember that they wielded the marvelous tool of mutantry, and that they should be prepared to use it only for good. Behind the scenes While the Code was mentioned as early as , it was fully expanded on via . Appearances * * * * * * * * * * Notes and references See also *Code of the NoHeads *Police Grand Army Code Code